Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-09-30

your view vi pom 'iu loiii al htS GU
rying a box across the lawn. Where
are the storc-room keys. chld?" asked
he. cXcitcdly. I'VE must 20 at once
to the cellar, and Heaven help Us if
what | took for your fancy should prove
to be the truthr'
Much against my will | took the keys
and accompanied Mr.. RHyncr t. the
left wing. | put my finger through
the little ring and raised the trap door.
all the while trembling with fright and
excitement. Mr.. Rayncr went down
while | held the candle for him. Soon
he spoke and sail in i tone of great re-
lief:
Thank Heaven it was your fancy
child. there is nothing here
Not deal tablc?' gaspcd.
"No-nothing but water"
"Pcrhars the water has risen higher
and covered it?"
Come down yourself and see. Or
are YOU afraid to come down again?"
''No, am not afraid" said /, unccr-
tainly.
He came up and took the candle
from me, while l descended The
water, knew by the number of steps
which were dry above it. was at the
same level rs before. l looked through
the ladder and round it. Table and
portmantcau had utterly disappeared.
As | looked up suddenly. Mr.. Hayncr's
face, distorted by the weird light thrown
on it by the ilickering candle, seemed
to ME to wear a hooking smile which
made the handsome features hidcous
and alarming.
"Let me come up" said l. sharply.
He held out his hand, and when l,
trembling and tottering, reached the
top of the ladder he flung his arms
round me to support me. But was
SO sick with the horror of finding my
story-my true story-disprovcd, and
with the fancy had had on looking
up at MIR. Rayncr's face, that l slid
from his arm, ran out of the store
room. along the passage and through
the swing-door. and leaned against the
hall door to recover myself. Mr.. Ray
ner was ut my side in n few minutes,
and. almost unconsciously / let him
lead ME back into the drawing-room
He brought me some brandy and water
and made me drink it, and bathcd my
forehead, and told me gently not to be
frightened.
But did see the portmantcau,
said l, pitcously.
Yes, dear child, l know" said Mr..
Rayner. but saw he did not believe
me.
He then spoke again of Sarah. say
ing the detective would be bound to
trump up some story to show his
superiors that he had accomplished
something. and he supposed he would
leave Sarah without q shred of charac-
ter.
But do you know. Mr.. Rayner, l
don't think Sarah has always been as
nice woman as You suppose" said
l. timidly. From what / have heard
her say, l think, when she was young,
she must have had had some horrid
friends who made her do all sorts of
wrong things; and that is why l can
not be as much surprised Us you are at
her doing wicked things now"
did you tell Mr.. Maynard that?"
mo, only answered his questions.
He said he was her brother-and, of
course. did not want to make him
doubt his own sister. But. Mr.. Ray
ner. / want to ask you something.
Have you ever heard Of q James
WoodfallP"
He was sitting by me on the sofa,
with his head turned away. He did
not answer my question at once.
Then he said, very quietly:
Did Mr.. Maynard ask you that?"
Oh, no! heard Sarah say the
name when she was delirious-the first
night-Friday night" whispered.
Oh! was he friend of Sarah 81"
"Oh, yes! l think she must have
been in love with him when she was
young, and he must have heen very
bad man who made her do any thing
he liked, and the most curious part Of
it is that shc-she mixes his name up
with the people she knows now." said
/. lowering my voice still more.
"How?" asked Mr.. Rayner. Whose
name docs she mix his up with?"
''Why. with-with mine. Mr.. Ray
ner!" said l, blushing uncomfortably
at the very thought. ''Shc kept say
ing in her rawlings that this wicked
forger-for she said he was .forger-
JHmeS'N o0diali, was in love with me
and wanted to marry me, and that he
wanted her to help TO marry this COM
mon thief to Inc. Wasn't it dreadful
to have to listen to that?' whispered !,
excitcdly.
did she say James Woodfall was q
common thicf?'
mo. | gathered that from what she
said. Did you ever hear of him. MIR.
Rayncr?"
'Yes. l have heard of him. and
believe he is alive now" said he.
Then l believe that she is in love
with him still, and that he is at the
bottom of this dreadful robberyw
cried ], much excited. ''Oh, Mr.. Ray
ner, couldn't you iinl out frcm Sarah
where he is now, while the detective is
here. and get him caught? ! said.
brcathlcssly.
Mr.. Rayner shook his head thought
fully.
IL am afraid not, my dear child. II
James Woodfall is the man | mean. he
will meyer Inc taken alive ~ said he